1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus equipped with a carriage on which a recording head is removably mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are serial type recording apparatuses that perform recording by scanning a recording head in a main-scanning direction intersecting a conveying direction (sub-scanning direction) of a sheet. In the recording apparatuses of the serial type, images are recorded on the sheet using the recording head mounted on a carriage that moves in the main-scanning direction.
Upon finishing recording for one line, a sheet is conveyed at a predetermined pitch, and then recording of the next line is performed. Thus, recording on the entire sheet is performed by repeating this operation.
FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a mounting mechanism of a recording head in the conventional ink jet recording apparatus. FIG. 11A illustrates a state where the recording head is fixed to a carriage. FIG. 11B illustrates a state where mounting and removing of the recording head with respect to the carriage are allowed.
A recording head 109, which is formed as a cartridge, performs recording onto a sheet. A carriage 151 includes the recording head 109 thereon. A head cover 152 securely fixes the recording head 109 to the carriage 151. The lever 157 is used to push out the recording head 109 that is fixed to the carriage 151 interlocking with a movement of the head cover 152.
A rotation fulcrum of the head cover 152 is disposed at an upper side of a rotation fulcrum of the lever 157. When the head cover 152 is opened from the closed state thereof, an end of the lever 157 abuts against a top surface of the head cover 152. Accordingly, the lever 157 rotates so as to be able to push out the recording head 109.
In the state illustrated in FIG. 11A, the lever 157 is located between the recording head 109 and the carriage 151 due to its own weight. Further, in the state illustrated in FIG. 11B, the lever 157 is at a rotated position, so that an electrode portion of the recording head 109 and an electrical contact portion of the carriage 151 can be prevented from coming into inadvertent contact with each other.
Firstly, in a conventional example described above, a supporting shaft for rotation of the head cover 152 and a supporting shaft for rotation of the lever 157 are spaced apart from each other. As a result, a total length of the lever 157 comprises a distance between the supporting shafts and a length of a head portion. Accordingly, it is difficult to further reduce the size of the apparatus.
Secondly, in a state where the recording head 109 is fixed by the head cover 152 to the carriage 151, a part of the lever 157 protrudes from the head cover 152. Therefore, a user may inadvertently touch the lever 157 while the recording head 109 is mounted on the carriage 151. If the user touches the lever 157, the lever 157 and the recording head 109 abut against each other, and thus the positioning of the recording head 109 relative to the carriage 151 becomes unstable. Then, an accuracy of images recorded by the recording head 109 may deteriorate, and electrical connection between the recording head 109 and the carriage 151 may become unstable.
Thirdly, in a state where the recording head 109 is mounted on the carriage 151, the lever 157 is supported only by the supporting shaft and not fixed. As a result, the lever 157 may move due to the movement of the carriage 151, and the lever 157 may hit the side of the recording head 109 or the carriage 151 and generate a rattling noise.